Exposing the underbelly of Armstrongism in all of its wacky glory! Nothing you read here is made up. What you read here is the up to date face of Herbert W Armstrong's legacy. It's the gritty and dirty behind the scenes look at Armstrongism as you have never seen it before!
With all the new crazy self-appointed Chief Overseers, Apostles, Prophets, Pharisees, legalists, and outright liars leading various Churches of God today, it is important to hold these agents of deception accountable.
Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web of Corrupt Leaders
This is also consistent with ACOG childrearing methods. Since children learn about family relationships from their parents, this inculcates some really bad images of Father God into their psyches.
That picture shows the love of the ministers. Like the catholic church, there is no line to God, except through the minister. If you don't listen, they follow each step till your are banished. Don't forget Satan is the accuser of the brethren or should I say the minister.
There are also a multitude of mental traps that are used by the ministry. Since many ministers use exactly the same words, these ploys must be taught to the ministers at minister school. For instance, one ploy is to give sermon after sermon on obedience. It's in the bible, right. Except that their definition of 'obey' is a combination of: 1 The minister lording it over you. 2 Playing by their exploitative rigged rules. 3 Living by Pharisaic morality, since proper Christianity invalidates the first two points. Another ploy is to use the word 'unity' as a club against anyone who disagrees or resists a minister. Does any church come to mind? All these mental traps have been stolen from the Protestants. So much for using the bible as the reference.
It would be interesting to have personality inventories done on all candidates for the ministry at LCG and a random sample of the members. Do we have narcissistic personalities among many of the leaders and dependent personalities among the members? The leaders have power, prestige, income and titles. What do the members get out of this? They get the security of being told what to believe, how to act, etc. Perfect fit for some, like a lock and a key. Needs are being met on both sides.
Once you accept the "truth" that the WCG was the true church and that HWA was his end-time apostle, then we didn't have to wrestle with ideas, doctrines, etc. All of that has already been decided, by others. The heavy lifting has been done.
Now, write another check, shut up and sit down.
RCM, I think, was an intellectual coward. Sure, he was a Golden Gloves boxer. And I admit it takes a certain type of courage to step into a boxing ring. But it takes another type of courage to listen to honest questions, examine what you believe and perhaps even grow intellectually. What would happen if you questioned RCM in first year Bible class? You would be bullied, interrupted, and later counseled concerning your "bad attitude." Among his peers, I think he was one of the very worst characters on campus. If we had an instrument to measure "fruit of the Spirit" as we have instruments to measure temperature, humidity, etc. I wonder what kind of reading we would get.
When I was a church member, I was stalked by several church members, all noticeably inferior to me. I always had the feeling that I was being intensely watched by many others as well. Environment from hell, the Black Hole Of Calcutta.
"Do we have narcissistic personalities among many of the leaders and dependent personalities among the members?"
Speaking for myself, Yes! On television, they speak with such confidence and authority. The flimsy wishy-washy mainstream doctrines were replaced with something more logically sound and precise, or so it seemed at that time. It was as if they were entitled to some kind of hidden "truth". Well, I wanted what I thought they had too, which was privledge and entitlement. This led me to think it was a superior version in contrast to the mainstream crap. I had even convinced some family and friends of this before I actually joined CGI. But after you join, the wonderful world tomorrow doesn't seem to get more wonderful. In fact it becomes a hazy shade of gray with no color. In order for it to continue to make sense, you have to see things in black and white. You NEED to be a co-dependant to continue. If you are a brown-noser with money you will go far. It was a vicious abusive cycle. I'm ashamed it took me a few years to see the elusive-obvious "truth".
This is also consistent with ACOG childrearing methods. Since children learn about family relationships from their parents, this inculcates some really bad images of Father God into their psyches.
ReplyDeleteBB
That picture shows the love of the ministers. Like the catholic church, there is no line to God, except through the minister. If you don't listen, they follow each step
ReplyDeletetill your are banished.
Don't forget Satan is the accuser of the brethren or should I say the minister.
It's the same treatment if you're in the PCG! Wayne Turgeon love public shaming!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget ... they CASTRATE also! .
ReplyDeleteThere are also a multitude of mental traps that are used by the ministry. Since many ministers use exactly the same words, these ploys must be taught to the ministers at minister school. For instance, one ploy is to give sermon after sermon on obedience. It's in the bible, right. Except that their definition of 'obey' is a combination of:
ReplyDelete1 The minister lording it over you.
2 Playing by their exploitative rigged rules.
3 Living by Pharisaic morality, since proper Christianity invalidates the first two points.
Another ploy is to use the word 'unity' as a club against anyone who disagrees or resists a minister. Does any church come to mind? All these mental traps have been stolen from the Protestants. So much for using the bible as the reference.
Roll over.
ReplyDeletePlay dead.
Pay tithes.
C. S. said...
ReplyDelete"Don't forget Satan is the accuser of the brethren or should I say the minister."
True. The ministers are the adversaries of the members.
It would be interesting to have personality inventories done on all candidates for the ministry at LCG and a random sample of the members. Do we have narcissistic personalities among many of the leaders and dependent personalities among the members?
ReplyDeleteThe leaders have power, prestige, income and titles. What do the members get out of this? They get the security of being told what to believe, how to act, etc. Perfect fit for some, like a lock and a key. Needs are being met on both sides.
Once you accept the "truth" that the WCG was the true church and that HWA was his end-time apostle, then we didn't have to wrestle with ideas, doctrines, etc. All of that has already been decided, by others. The heavy lifting has been done.
Now, write another check, shut up and sit down.
RCM, I think, was an intellectual coward. Sure, he was a Golden Gloves boxer. And I admit it takes a certain type of courage to step into a boxing ring. But it takes another type of courage to listen to honest questions, examine what you believe and perhaps even grow intellectually. What would happen if you questioned RCM in first year Bible class? You would be bullied, interrupted, and later counseled concerning your "bad attitude." Among his peers, I think he was one of the very worst characters on campus. If we had an instrument to measure "fruit of the Spirit" as we have instruments to measure temperature, humidity, etc. I wonder what kind of reading we would get.
When I was a church member, I was stalked by several church members, all noticeably inferior to me. I always had the feeling that I was being intensely watched by many others as well. Environment from hell, the Black Hole Of Calcutta.
ReplyDelete"Do we have narcissistic personalities among many of the leaders and dependent personalities among the members?"
ReplyDeleteSpeaking for myself, Yes!
On television, they speak with such confidence and authority. The flimsy wishy-washy mainstream doctrines were replaced with something more logically sound and precise, or so it seemed at that time. It was as if they were entitled to some kind of hidden "truth". Well, I wanted what I thought they had too, which was privledge and entitlement. This led me to think it was a superior version in contrast to the mainstream crap. I had even convinced some family and friends of this before I actually joined CGI. But after you join, the wonderful world tomorrow doesn't seem to get more wonderful. In fact it becomes a hazy shade of gray with no color. In order for it to continue to make sense, you have to see things in black and white. You NEED to be a co-dependant to continue. If you are a brown-noser with money you will go far. It was a vicious abusive cycle. I'm ashamed it took me a few years to see the elusive-obvious "truth".
drive-by-philosopher